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PLA Daily: Japan Moves Beyond ‘Exclusively Defensive’ Policy, Expands Offensive Capabilities

People’s Daily has republished a commentary from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily asserting that Japan is moving beyond its long-standing “exclusively defensive” security posture and developing more offensive military capabilities:

On April 27, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated at a security policy review meeting that Japan must prepare for “new forms of warfare” and even “prolonged conflict.”

To this end, Japan is accelerating the development and deployment of longer-range strike capabilities. These include systems such as the Type 25 surface-to-ship missile, with an estimated range of around 1,000 kilometers, as well as hypersonic glide vehicles, with plans to extend strike ranges to approximately 2,000 kilometers. Japan is also acquiring U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and Norway’s Joint Strike Missiles to equip its naval forces.

At the same time, Japan is undertaking a sweeping restructuring of its Self-Defense Forces. This includes what is described as the largest reorganization in the history of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, with the creation of a new “Surface Fleet” composed of three surface combat groups, alongside a patrol and defense group and an amphibious and mine warfare group. Japan is also expanding its space capabilities by upgrading its Space Operations Group to a Space Operations Regiment, with plans to further elevate it into a Space Operations Command. In parallel, it is establishing specialized intelligence units, reflecting a broader effort to modernize and strengthen its overall military structure and operational capacity.

Source: People’s Daily, April 30, 2026
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0430/c1011-40711778.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

Retired Japanese Military Commander: Janpan’s Early Intervention Could Force China to Rethink Taiwan War Plans

Kiyoshi Ogawa, a former senior commander of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and now a think tank researcher, said in a recent talk that Japan could intervene at an early stage of a Taiwan Strait conflict. Such early involvement, he argued, would significantly disrupt China’s assumed timeline and compel it to reassess its military plans for Taiwan.

According to his analysis, China’s approach to a Taiwan scenario can be broadly divided into three phases:

  1. A “peacetime” phase involving psychological operations, military exercises, and a blockade aimed at deterring foreign intervention;
  2. Escalation into active conflict, including missile strikes and cyberattacks;
  3. A full-scale amphibious invasion after achieving air and sea superiority.

In November last year, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated in a parliamentary response that escalating tensions around Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. She noted circumstances a blockade of the Taiwan Strait could meet this threshold, “if Taiwan is subjected to a military attack, including a naval blockade carried out by warships in conjunction with other measures, it could be regarded as the use of force.”

China’s strategy is widely seen as relying on achieving a rapid victory before external forces—particularly the United States and Japan—can intervene. However, Japan’s position suggests that intervention could occur as early as the initial blockade phase, rather than in later stages of the conflict.

Such a shift would fundamentally alter China’s planning assumptions, potentially forcing a reassessment of its operational timeline and force deployment. Sanae Takaichi’ remarks are viewed as strategically significant and have drawn strong reactions from Beijing.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 27, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202604270115.aspx

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ESET Uncovers New China-Linked APT “GopherWhisper” Leveraging Legitimate Platforms

Researchers from the Slovak cybersecurity firm ESET have identified a previously unknown China-linked advanced persistent threat (APT) group dubbed GopherWhisper. The group leverages legitimate platforms—including Discord, Slack, Microsoft 365 Outlook, and file-sharing services—to carry out command-and-control (C&C) communications and data exfiltration.

Active since at least November 2023, the group is believed to operate from China based on timestamp analysis of chat logs and email activity. It deploys a suite of custom malware tools—primarily written in Go—using injectors and loaders to install backdoors and facilitate cyber-espionage.

Among the identified tools are several backdoors, including LaxGopher, RatGopher, BoxOfFriends, and SSLORDoor, as well as a data exfiltration tool, an injector, and a malicious DLL. Notably, the malware exhibits no code or tactical overlap with previously known threat actors, leading ESET to classify it as a distinct new APT group.

The campaign was first uncovered in January 2025 within a Mongolian government system, where the LaxGopher backdoor was observed using Slack for C&C operations. Subsequent analysis indicates that, in addition to the Mongolian target, dozens of other organizations may have been affected.

Source: Epoch Times, April 26, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/4/25/n14749648.htm

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PLA Daily: Japan’s Strategic Calculations Behind Its Frigate Export to Australia

People’s Daily recently republished a commentary from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily analyzing Japan’s frigate export agreement with Australia.

Japan and Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop new Australian naval vessels based on Japan’s upgraded Mogami-class frigate. As frigates are fully armed combat platforms, the move is widely viewed as enabling Japan’s first post–World War II export of a major warship under the guise of joint development. It signals a shift in Japan–Australia defense ties from limited cooperation toward deeper and more comprehensive military integration.

This growing partnership is driven by multiple factors. While exporting frigates may help Japan offset development costs and bolster its defense industry, the article argues that Tokyo’s objectives extend well beyond economic considerations.

First, Japan seeks to use defense exports as a means to expand military ties beyond its alliance with the United States, deepen its integration into Western security frameworks, and elevate its status as a major military power.

Second, if Australia adopts the platform and establishes supporting maintenance and logistics systems, it could create favorable conditions for Japanese vessels to access resupply and servicing in the region, thereby extending Japan’s operational reach.

For Australia, closer alignment with Japan helps address capability gaps and strengthen its regional influence. The partnership is also supported by the United States, which views both countries as key allies in the Asia-Pacific and has encouraged closer defense cooperation between them.

Source: People’s Daily, April 29, 2026
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0429/c1011-40710946.html

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China State Security Claims “Hostile Forces” Are Promoting “Lying Flat” Among Youth

Amid mounting economic pressure and intense competition, some young people in China have embraced the idea of “lying flat” (躺平)—a mindset that rejects relentless striving. Xinhua News Agency recently republished an article by China’s Ministry of State Security claiming that “hostile anti-China forces” are actively promoting this trend in an effort to weaken the country.

According to the article, foreign actors are using online platforms to amplify social anxiety and spread narratives such as “hard work is useless” and “effort leads to loss.” These messages, it argues, are intended to mislead young people, erode their motivation, and undermine core social values. The article further alleges that some overseas organizations fund media outlets, think tanks, and online influencers to promote “lying flat” as a form of resistance, producing content that discourages ambition.

It also contends that while these actors encourage Chinese youth to disengage, their own countries continue to pursue growth through economic policies, talent recruitment, and development initiatives. The article concludes that the promotion of “lying flat” is a deliberate attempt to weaken China’s future by dampening the drive of its younger generation.

Source: Xinhua, April 28, 2026
https://app.xinhuanet.com/news/article.html?articleId=20260428b9c2ef54d8a242738d84821a7ce63aba

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Economy/Resources

China Demonstrates Deep-Sea Cable-Cutting Capability, Raising Security Concerns

Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency reported that the research vessel “Haiyang Dizhi No. 2” (Marine Geology No. 2) recently completed a deep-sea mission, including a test of a new electro-hydraulic device capable of cutting cables at a depth of 3,500 meters. Officials described this as the first publicly acknowledged capability to cut cables at such extreme depths—deeper than most existing undersea communication infrastructure.

The technology was developed by the China Ship Scientific Research Center, a state-backed institute under U.S. sanctions. Reports suggest the device could cut even heavily protected undersea communication and power cables, potentially disrupting global connectivity during geopolitical crises.

Analysts note that China has been developing such capabilities for over a decade, supported by multiple patents and new systems designed for deep-sea cable cutting and retrieval. Additional designs reportedly extend operational depths to 4,000 meters, including specialized cutting vessels.

These developments have raised concerns that such capabilities could be used as part of a new form of warfare aimed at disrupting global communications. Analysts also point to Beijing’s usage of “gray-zone” tactics. In November 2024, the Chinese vessel “Yipeng 3” reportedly dragged its anchor for more than 100 miles (over 160 kilometers) in the Baltic Sea, severing two key undersea cables linking Finland to Germany and Sweden to Lithuania—an incident that drew global attention.

Source: Epoch Times, April 22, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/4/21/n14746529.htm

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U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Urges Taiwan to Pass Defense Spending Budget

At a congressional hearing on April 21, U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Samuel Paparo warned that Taiwan must commit sufficient funding to its own defense. He stressed that U.S. support cannot exceed Taiwan’s own commitment and urged lawmakers to pass a long-delayed defense budget.

Paparo emphasized that Taiwan’s defense spending is essential despite U.S. assistance under the Taiwan Relations Act, arguing that without adequate investment, security cannot be sustained. He added that concrete budget action—rather than rhetoric—will demonstrate Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense.

The remarks come amid political gridlock in Taiwan, where a proposed $40 billion, eight-year defense budget by President Lai Ching-te has been stalled in a legislature dominated by the opposition Kuomintang. The party has recently drawn attention for closer engagement with Beijing, including Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to mainland China in April and her meeting with Xi Jinping.

The stalled budget has attracted strong concern in Washington, with bipartisan U.S. lawmakers urging Taiwan to act quickly and signaling potential new arms sales of up to $14 billion.

Source: Epoch Times, Top of Form

April 22, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/4/22/n14746992.htm

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People’s Daily: U.S. Air Force Restructuring in Japan Faces Ongoing Challenges

In late March, the U.S. Air Force began upgrading equipment at the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base in Japan while restructuring the Fifth Air Force’s command system. The move is part of broader efforts to strengthen forward deployment under the Indo-Pacific strategy and position the Fifth Air Force as a key operational command hub in the region.

However, the changes also highlight underlying challenges. The Fifth Air Force’s responsibilities have expanded to include combat command, cross-domain coordination, and rapid response, but without a corresponding increase in personnel or resources. This raises concerns about potential operational strain and insufficient support capacity. Coordination difficulties may also emerge, as other U.S. commands in the region have not undergone comparable reforms.

The restructuring further underscores tensions in U.S.–Japan defense cooperation. While the United States is pushing for greater burden-sharing from Japan, it continues to retain control over command authority—potentially conflicting with Japan’s pursuit of greater strategic autonomy. This misalignment could limit deeper operational integration beyond routine exercises and intelligence sharing.

Additionally, the shift of bases such as Yokota from logistical support roles to frontline command functions has raised concerns among the Japanese public about being drawn into potential conflicts. Analysts suggest the move could contribute to heightened geopolitical tensions in the region.

Source: People’s Daily, April 8, 2026
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0408/c1011-40697135.html

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